Our 28 February post about artist Algirdas Kudirka, 1915–1980, caught the eye of Beth Robertson in Adelaide, who has shared this photograph and information.
This poker work ‘Australia’ by Algirdas Kudirka has had pride of place in our family home for 60 years. It is dedicated to my father ‘Dr. S. Robertson’, Thorburn Stirling Brailsford Robertson, 1925–1966.My father was a doctor who achieved sobriety after being admitted to Northfield Mental Hospital (later Hillcrest Hospital) in 1960 as a certified patient for alcohol and drug addiction. He came under the treatment of Dr Bill Salter, whose therapeutic approach included an Alcoholics Anonymous group at the hospital. Dr Salter supported my father’s appointment as a medical officer and he worked with addicts and AA groups at both Hillcrest and Yatala for the six years until his death aged 40. He was known as ‘Doc Robbie’ to most people.
My late mother told us that the artist was one of our father’s patients. I understand that Algirdas Kudirka is remembered as suffering from alcoholism. With the poker work dated 1963, he was probably a patient at Hillcrest Hospital at that time.
The poker work’s dimensions are 63cm x 50.5cm x 1cm. It is very striking with the adoption of Aboriginal motifs, the curious shaping of the continent of Australia (with the artist’s name worked into Tasmania) and the inversion of fishes over the landmass.
I would love to know whether anyone in the Lithuanian community has knowledge of Algirdas Kudirka’s time/s at Hillcrest (or Yatala). This could be by commenting on this post or sending me information privately via Daina. It could add to the story of the artwork as well as my father’s legacy.
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